Tributes have continued to pour in for the late Chief executive officer of Tonimas Oil and Gas, Chief Anthony Obiagboso Enukeme.
Chief Enukeme, who was also an APGA Board of Trustee member passed on at the early hours of Monday, throwing his entire hometown of Neni, in Anocha local government area of Anambra into a state of mourning.
Friends, well-wishers and associates have condoled with the family of the late Chief Enukeme, pouring out heartfelt messages and eulogy.
Amongst those who have eulogized the late Chief Enukeme is his nephew, Nnamdi Izundu. Below is an excerpt:
TRIBUTE TO A MODEL OF AN ACCOMPLISHED PERSONALITY
CHIEF ANTHONY OBIAGBAOSO ENUKEME.
KSJI, KSG, OON,
Ezeana Aku-Uvom, Onowu Neni, Enyi Abia (Elephant of Abia state), Ogbata Onuo Akwaeze.
Executive Chairman, Tonimas Group: interests in Petroleum, Manufacturing, Haulage Transportation, Real Estate, Agriculture, Hospitality (Hotels, Events Spaces, Garden and Games Park).
In March 2020, when I was invited for Tribute for his 50 years Wedding Anniversary which was then scheduled for last May 2020, but was suspended due to the Covid lockdown, how could I had imagined that the expected Golden Jubilee Tribute would turn to be his Obituary Tribute.
Death is the highest God’s mystery to mankind.
This death is the real ‘Iroko’ tree fallen in a Community.
The death of Chief Anthony Obiagbaoso Enukeme today, Tuesday, 09th June 2020, was shocking and painful, but I am grateful to God that our amiable Ezeana Aku-Uvom prepared himself for the exit from the world to join the Saints in Heaven.
He merits it based on the followings among many others;
•Onowu Neni was an amazing personality, who lived an exemplary life, with abundant testimonies.
• He derived great joy when in mist of the commoners, and attending to the needy and the vulnerables.
• He welcomed and attended to Strangers as Christian doctrines demand. He would not know up to 70% of his visitors, yet, he would try his best to attend to everyone of them.
• He was a strong Catholic, holding very high position in the KSJI, (Knight of St. John International), and yet, he respected and accommodated other Christian faiths, and religious beliefs like the Islamic Muslims.
• His promotions and his supports for Christian evangelism is limitless. He remained the financing pillar of Neni’s main Catholic parish, St. John parish, despite his building the St. James church in his village, Umudioka Neni.
He single-handedly built a Cathedral-size Catholic church at Aba, Abia State.
• His exceptional and distinct models in Philanthropic actions are always designed and focused to benefit the masses population, like;
– Skills and Economic Empowerment,
– Infrastructure development,
– Employments,
– Motivation and support,
– Mentoring and Inspiring, etc.
• He was an extraordinary modest person in lifestyle. He can afford any type of movement carbin, be it Private Jet, Chopper Aircraft, Helicopter, Rolce Royce, and the likes, yet, his cherished means of movements was Toyota Hiaise Mini bus, and with only one Security orderly.
No Convoy. No Siren.
• The kindness and compassion Anthony Enukeme, Onowu Neni, to humanity are such that;
– the Deaf heard of,
– the Blind sees, or saw,
– the Dumb speaks, or spoke of,
– the Lame walks, or walked on,
– the limbless holds to, or held to.
The humility and industrious discipline of the late Onowu Neni were rooted in his humble background and upright upbringing.
He was the only son, and had only one sister as his sibling. His pregnant mother delivered him by the roadside, along Akwaeze, when the mother was returning from the Nkwo market, of Igbo ukwu town.
His parents who were known to be very upright, industrious and of high moral values, trained him only in the Primary education, due to financial constraints. Though, primary level of education was highly regarded at the time.
He passed through Servant Training, (Nwa Boy) for a total of 15 years:
– The first 5 years was under Chief Ozoekwe Udeze, Eyisi Evulue of Umudioka Neni, (Okacha Patrol). That was at Total Patrol station, Oturkpo.
He won the Award of ‘Best Patrol Pump Attendant’ by Total Patroleum Company Ltd, marketing training in Lagos, year 1962.
Chief Ozoekwe Udeze, is acknowledged as highly disciplined and industrious, and he, Chief Ozoekwe Udeze applied the same values to the young Anthony Enukeme.
– The other 10 years of ‘Servant Trainings’ (Nwa Boy) of the late Onowu Neni, were with two Masters at Aba Ngwa.
So, the late Anthony Enukeme was comprehensively groomed for the successes he achieved in life.
Late Chief Anthony Enukeme was a person with unlimited quest for knowledge. He didn’t allow his primary level of education to hinder his desire in life.
– Between the ages of 33 years to 43 years old, which was, from 1975 to 1985, he started and completed his Secondary and University education, by Part-time, and graduated with top grades.
– He proceeded and completed his Masters, and finally his PHD in year 2018. That was at about the age of 76years old.
Late Onowu Neni was a man of wisdom, whose knowledge of life, and his experiences in several fields, viz; Political, Entrepreneurship, Traditional, Cultural, Socio-Economic developments, can be described as a Reference point.
Late Onowu Neni, A. O. Enukeme, was an Orator, very eloquent and fluent. He is a talented, elocution motivational and Inspirational speaker. He was always eager to share his knowledge and experiences in businesses to motivate, inspire, and advise people on the ways of success in life. The Nigerian TVs business reports, and the National Business News papers once described him as a ‘Business Expert’.
At every opportunity of ‘good’ gathering of the youths of Umudioka village Neni and others, Late Anthony Enukeme will introduce and start Motivation and Inspiration conversation with advices, on the keys to successes in business and in life.
The key success factors which late Ezeana Aku-Uvom always propagate were always the followings;
1. Intelligence. Continuous learning, and skills development for self improvement in ideas, exposures, reasoning, understanding and interacting with other people.
2. Hard-Work, Dedicated Focus, and Disciplined Lifestyle.
3. Integrity, Honesty, and Truth. Never manufacture excuses to deny settling your ‘Servant Trainees’ Nwa Boy.
4. Respectful and be Sensitive to humanity. He believed that Gifts open doors for success.
5. Serve God in His totality, with ones body and soul. Blessings come from God.
Late Chief Anthony Enukeme established full Scholarship scheme for Masters and PHD degrees studies, based on his belief that Politics is the Pillar where Community development, and others rotate, and that high level of formal education is the key.
He always canvased that Umudioka Neni had never produced a National or State Political figure, and that all of them should work hard for achieving such status.
I am certain that with the installation of late Chief Anthony Enukeme as member of the National BOT of APGA political party, he must have felt accomplished in the Political front.
Late Chief Anthony Obiagbaoso Enukeme can easily be classed as an overall accomplished personality in major positive fronts, viz, Business, Religion Spiritual Growth, Traditional & Cultural status, Political status, Family and Community-life acceptance.
Late Chief Anthony Enukeme’s death today, being Tuesday, 09th 2020, occurred on Oye Market day, which is the major market for the Neni community and the surrounding towns.
The entire town was spontaneously thrown into mourning. Indigenes and Non-Indigenes, Non-Igbos, and the Hausa groups. The market women were wailing uncontrollably with cries of pain, grief, and self-pity.
That was display of the Community personality of late Aku-Uvom, Onowu Neni, Enyi Abia (Elephant of Abia), Ogbata Onuo Akwaeze, Chief Anthony Obiagbaoso Enukeme. KSJI, KSG, OON.
It was certain that as the people are crying and mourning for the exit from earth, the Angels and the Saints of God, are rejoicing and celebrating the triumphant entry of Chief Anthony Obiagbaoso Enukeme into Heaven.
May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace, Amen.
NNAMDI IZUNDU.